Steps
by F91
Summary: As a couple, Vivio and Yuuno have experienced many things, but what will happen when reality deals a crushing blow? Vivio/Yuuno, with a little NanoFate as well.
1. Breaking the News

"Wait, what?" Chrono blinked.

"Like I said, Yuuno-san and I are going to start dating." Vivio repeated firmly to the assembled Takamachi and Harlaown family members in the room. Yuuno had insisted they make the announcement to all of them at once, stating he probably couldn't handle the stress of two meetings.

"… Oh my."

"This is certainly an interesting turn of events."

"Amy, mom, you're not helping." Chrono sighed and looked at his niece. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I am. Is it really such a big deal, uncle Chrono?" Vivio asked.

"Um, he's kind of older than you."

"Aunt Amy is older than you." Vivio retorted.

"That's different. Back me up here, mom."

"I can't say I have a problem with the age thing." She shrugged. "Clyde was five years older than me and I did get pregnant with you when I was only seventeen, you know."

"Gee, thanks mom." Chrono rolled his eyes. "But even then, there's a big difference between five years and thirteen years. What do you say, Mr and Mrs Takamachi?"

"Well," Momoko spoke up. "If this is what she's decided, I'd like to support her. I know how she must feel right now. My parents weren't too keen on the idea of me marrying Shiro-san either as he's fairly older than me, was already raising two children, and had a dangerous job on top of it. But I went against their wishes anyways and I couldn't be happier. Vivio, if we said we disapproved would you do the same?"

"Yes, grandma Momoko." The teen nodded. "Even if you said no, it would not change how I feel."

"I also can't oppose due to age alone." Shiro added.

"But…"

"I really don't see the problem, uncle Chrono." Vivio said. "No one had any issues accepting Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama's relationship, so why can't you accept mine? I grew up believing that love transcended things like gender, social status, and age differences. Or can love only transcend a maximum of five years?"

"She's got you there, dear." Amy patted her husband on the back.

"Putting the age difference aside, there is a more pressing matter." Shiro turned a stern look at Yuuno. "What is the nature of your feelings to Vivio?"

Momoko turned to him as well. "I know you've been good friends with Vivio since she was a child, so I can't help but wonder… Do you know who Hikaru Genji is?"

"Yes, m'am, I do." He nodded. "But I assure you, the thought of raising Vivio to be my ideal partner never once crossed my mind. I did not purposely try to manipulate her feelings to that effect and it actually came as quite a surprise when she told me how she felt."

"As to the nature of my feelings, I have to honestly say I don't know." Yuuno admitted. "I think I might be in love with her as well, but I need time to find out."

"I don't like that." Shiro's stare remained stern. "You're entering this with uncertain feelings… Just what exactly do you intend to do in this relationship? I know you're a nice boy, Yuuno, but it's still possible that you're merely toying with her and taking advantage of her feelings."

"Grandpa Shiro, that's not…" Shiro silenced her by holding up his hand.

"Well, Yuuno? Just what do you hope to get out of this?"

"Like I said, sir, I need time to clarify my feelings." Yuuno's voice remained firm. "All I wish to do is be able spend time with Vivio with the pretext of being a couple to see how receptive I am to the idea. I assure you that's all I wish to do. I would not take advantage of the situation and do…" He paused to find the words. "What most couples do behind closed doors. I would not take it to that sort of serious level unless I was certain my feelings were genuine."

"If you discover your feelings are not genuine, what then?" Shiro questioned. "Would you pretend they were for the sake of not harming Vivio?"

"Well… If that turns out to be the case, then I would have to be honest," Yuuno admitted. "Even if it may hurt her as a result."

"That's what I'd want him to do as well." Vivio agreed. "I don't want to force him to do something he doesn't want to just for my sake."

Shiro remained silent a moment before turning to his daughter. "Are you ok with this, Nanoha?"

"Well, I'm still apprehensive about my daughter dating my best friend." Nanoha replied. "But this is what they've decided after thinking it through carefully, so I'd like to let them give it a try. Of course I have every intention of keeping my eye on them and putting my foot down if I see it doing more harm than good."

"I'll leave that to you, then." Shiro nodded. "I guess you could consider yourself on probation, Yuuno. Don't do anything we'll make you regret."

"Yes sir." Yuuno replied, hoping his sweat wasn't too visible. "I swear I won't."

'Well, I guess we have the ok for now.' Vivio mused. 'At least they didn't say no.'


	2. Chatter

Yuuno could only drink his beverage in silence as he listened to the chatter around him.

"Don't you think that teacher's just a little too harsh?"

"Really? I never had any problems with her."

"Of course you wouldn't! You get perfect scores pretty much every time! For the rest of us, she picks apart every little mistake and does whatever she can to lower our grades."

"I have to agree with Vivio. I don't have any problems either."

"I guess she just doesn't like me, then. Well, she's better than that one gym teacher of ours, anyways."

"Rio, you know he's just jealous that we're in better shape than he is."

"Yeah, I know. Say, he's the coach of the basketball team, right? Didn't you get a love letter from the team captain, Corona?"

"Eh? Uh, yeah… I did…"

"So? How are you going to answer him?"

"… I don't know. I don't really know him, so I think I might decline…"

"You should fight him and see if he's worth it."

"… That's your solution to everything, Ein."

"It works, doesn't it?"

Yuuno attempted to find a moment to jump into the four high school girl's conversation, but he discovered there was a great deficient in things he could possibly add. He had known and conversed with these girls for a long time, yet that was within the setting of the library where he mostly assisted with their studies. But here at a table in a family restaurant, his mouth remained closed.

"Well, the way things have been going, Vivio will be the only one to have landed herself a boyfriend before graduation."

"I'm still so happy for you, Vivio, that you were able to get together with Yuuno-sensei after so long."

"Hehe, thanks Corona."

"I'm so envious. Now whenever your mamas won't buy you something, your sugar daddy here can get it for you."

"Huh?" Yuuno spoke for the first time.

"Rio, don't you start with that too." Vivio huffed.

"Haha, I was just kidding."

"What is she talking about?" Yuuno asked.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Vivio said with a wave of her hand. "Just some kids at school spreading rumours when they learned I was going out with an older guy, saying stupid stuff like how I seduced you for your money or whatever."

"Wait a minute," Yuuno gaped. "That's really bad, isn't it?"

"Like I said, don't worry about it." Vivio repeated. "I certainly don't care. It's just a group of girls who never liked me anyways spreading lies. My friends and other people that matter know its not true, right guys?"

The other girls at the table nodded.

"Anyways, so have you seen that new idol?"

X-X-X

"Is something wrong, Yuuno-san?" Vivio asked as she noticed he was trailing behind her as they walked back from the restaurant. "You've been pretty quiet all evening."

"Well, I've been wondering… Why did you invite me to hang out with your friends tonight?"

"Why? Well, why not?" Vivio blinked. "They're your friends too, you know."

"Really?" Yuuno scratched his cheek. "Sure, I've known then for awhile, but… To be honest, in that situation I just couldn't… connect with any of you."

"Huh?"

"All the things you were talking about… I couldn't find anything to say at all. I'm so much older than you so I have no knowledge of what girls your age are into. On top of that I never attended school, ever, so I can't comment on what you're going through. It's making me think that I'm really not suitable for you. Some one your own age who you can talk about these things with would definitely be…"

"How many times do I have to say it?" She sighed. "Yuuno-san, I'm well aware that you're many years older than me, and there have been many times when I didn't think I'd ever be suitable for you either. There is a large gap between us right now, but it's not impossible to bridge it. Perhaps this is just childish thinking on my part, but if we talk and listen to each other, I believe we can connect more and be able to understand each other better."

"But what about those rumours?" Yuuno said. "I don't want your reputation to be ruined because of me."

"If it came down to my reputation and you, the choice is obvious." She smiled. "I don't care what some fashion slave and her little clique says about me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm a big girl now, I can handle it." She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Now let's get back to my house before my mamas start getting suspicious."

'She's such a strong girl in many ways.' Yuuno mused as he let her lead him.


	3. Sacrifices

Yuuno looked up from the volume of Encyclopaedia of Polyilopcanica he was searching through as the door to his office creaked open. Sure enough, in entered his usual visitor.

"Good evening, Yuuno-san." Vivio greeted and she bounded in and made her way towards his desk.

"Good evening, Vivio." He greeted back.

"Another busy night?" She asked, putting her hands on his shoulders and looking over them at the book he held.

"Kind of." He replied. "I just need to find a particular piece of information for some one, and then I have to start packing."

"Packing?" The girl blinked. "Are you going somewhere?"

"I got called out on an emergency dig." He smiled apologetically. "I'll be gone for the rest of the week."

"Oh…" Vivio sighed. "I guess I couldn't accompany you on that, could I?"

"Sorry, I'd like that but Nanoha would never let you miss school."

"And my break doesn't start until next week." She sighed again. "This sucks. So then I won't be able to see you for a while."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Yuuno-san." Vivio said back, her voice betraying a little disappointment. "As I said before, I know how important your work is, so I don't mind. What can I help you with right now?"

"I have pretty much everything under control." He informed her. "So you should just head on home."

"Oh…" Her gaze fell at the comment. "Ok, I'll go. I wouldn't want to get in your way. Have a safe trip, Yuuno-san." She said before making a quick retreat.

Yuuno blinked as he watched her go, wondering if perhaps he had sent the wrong message. 'I just didn't want her to be bored waiting around here for me.' He thought. 'I didn't think she'd be in the way…'

"_I just want to spend time with you."_ He suddenly remembered her saying.

"… Oh." He sighed as he put his hand over his face. "Way to go, Yuuno."

His job always seemed to get in the way in one form or the other. The women he had dated previously had stormed off with a "You care more about your job than you do me!" after a few weeks and that was the end of those relationships. While Yuuno had genuinely liked some of those women, he just couldn't bring himself to put them above his love of knowledge. Vivio was different, though. She shared his love of knowledge and she understood him, saying she would be willing to bear with his busy schedule and be with him when she could.

But that's far too one-sided, he realised. She was willing to deal with it for the sake of the relationship, but what was he doing about it? Was it really ok for Vivio to be the only one making sacrifices?

Of course it wasn't!

"Ms Smith." He said as he activated his intercom.

"What can I do for you, professor?" His secretary replied.

"Cancel all my appointments for next week."

"What? But that's not…"

"Please do it." He instructed before he disconnected.

His job had always harmed his relationships, but he'd be damned if he let it ruin this one.

X-X-X

"I can't believe I get you all to myself for two days in a row!" Vivio cheered as she held Yuuno's hand.

"You have me for the rest of the week too." He smiled at the girl as they walked through the shopping district. "My schedule just happened to be free, so I decided it was a good time to use some of those vacation days. I know we don't get to go out that often, but we'll be sure to make up for that this week."

They spent the next hour just walking down the street, occasionally peering into store windows. The pair didn't enter to buy anything; they were just content with their walk in the beautiful weather.

"Ah, Yuuno-san, can you wait here for a bit?" Vivio suddenly said. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"… Don't ask a lady that." She flushed as she ran off.

"Oh." He chuckled softly. He awaited her return in silence and eventually a familiar voice addressed him.

"Professor Scrya! I never imagined running into you here!"

"Mr Terence." Yuuno greeted the man who approached him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but more importantly, how are you? We had a meeting scheduled for yesterday, but I was surprised when you cancelled it. This is the first time this has ever happened, so I was wondering if something happened to you."

"Oh, no… I'm just fine." Yuuno chuckled nervously. "Something important came up, that's all. I'll be sure to reschedule our meeting as soon as possible."

"That's good to know." Mr Terence nodded. "Well then I must be going. Take care, professor!"

"Goodbye." Yuuno waved as the man departed.

"… Yuuno-san."

Yuuno jumped at the low voice that came from behind him. He turned around to see Vivio who, much to the man's surprise, was glaring at him.

"What was that about, Yuuno-san?" She asked coolly.

"That was Mr Terence…" He answered awkwardly. "Some one I do business with from time to time."

"What did he mean when he said that you cancelled your appointment?"

"Uh… well…"

"You told me your schedule was free for the week." Her voice grew fiercer.

"It is…" Knowing he couldn't hide it, he gulped. "Because I cancelled everything…"

"I can't believe you!" Vivio erupted. "Why would you do something like that?"

"Huh?" Yuuno blinked, unsure why she was so angry. "I did it so I could spend your break with you."

"Just for that?" She continued to shout. Yuuno couldn't help but get slightly annoyed.

"Why are you so angry?" He bit back. "I thought you'd be happy that I would sacrifice work for you!"

"Yes, it makes me very happy!" She admitted. "But that's beside the point! Just up and cancelling appointments like that just so you can go out with me? Did you not even think of what that would do to your reputation?"

"Reputation?" Yuuno found himself shouting as well. "Weren't you the one who told me that you didn't care about reputation?"

"I don't care about _my_ reputation!" She shot back. "Yours is a completely different story! My reputation only matters to stupid high school students and will lose its value once I graduate! Your reputation is an integral part of your job! If you lose that, then what? What if you get fired? I wouldn't be happy if you got fired because of me!"

"You don't have to worry about my reputation! I've built that reputation through twenty years of hard work! It won't be damaged so easily!"

"You don't know that! It's a lot easier to lose respect than it is to gain it!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" He threw his hands up in defeat. "All my previous girlfriends have left me because I spend too much time at work!"

"You didn't do something this stupid for any of them, so why is this time any different?"

"Because I don't want to lose you!" He said, all strength draining from his voice. Vivio blinked as surprise replaced the anger in her eyes.

"… Yuuno-san?"

"I… I don't want to lose you, Vivio." He said again. "When I think about you leaving like the others, I just can't stand it. You've always been so patient with me, far more than I deserve, so I just wanted to do something for you for a change…"

Vivio gawked a moment before letting out a large sigh. "I never thought I'd say this, but… Yuuno-san, you're an idiot! I've been in love with you for over six years, I'm not about to give up on you that easily."

"But…"

"I really am happy you gave up work for me, but cancelling an entire week's worth of appointments was just too much! I'm fine only being able to go out like this only one or two days a month, understand?"

"… I guess I was a little too hasty." Yuuno sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Make sure you remake your appointments for the rest of the week, got it? But for right now I'm still mad at you." She huffed and turned away. "So you have to spend the rest of today making it up to me, ok?"

Yuuno smiled softly. "Ok."


	4. Say My Name

"Vivio, I've been wondering this for a while…"

"What is it, Ixy?"

"You and professor Yuuno are dating, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Vivio nodded. "What about it?"

"Subaru told me that 'dating' is when you go out and spend time with some one very special to you."

"That's a pretty good way to put it."

"So then why do you call him 'Yuuno-san'?"

"… Eh?"

"I've actually been curious about that myself." Corona added. "-san is an honorific used in your mother's home country, right?"

"Uh huh." Vivio affirmed.

"That's what you use when addressing some one you respect and admire, correct?" Ixpellia asked. "Like how Subaru calls Nanoha-san, 'Nanoha-san.' But she doesn't address Teana with an honorific, which I found odd because Subaru respects and admires Teana as well. She explained to me that since she's a lot closer to Teana, she doesn't use the -san."

"Right, so if Yuuno-sensei is your boyfriend, then shouldn't you just call him by his first name?" Rio asked.

"Well, I've been calling him that ever since I was a little girl, and it just kind of stuck." Vivio shrugged. "It's kind of hard for me to imagine calling him something else…"

"Well, you should give it a try anyways."

"… Yuuno…-san."

"Yuuno." Rio said.

"… Yuuno." Corona said.

"Yuuno." Ixpellia said.

"… Yuuno…-san." Vivio frowned. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

"Maybe you should practise on the man himself?" Rio suggested. "It's worth a shot."

X-X-X

"Come in." Yuuno replied to the knock on his office door.

"Hello Yuuno…-san." Vivio said eventually when she entered.

"Hello Vivio." He blinked. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing really, Yuuno…-san." She sputtered as she absently shuffled her feet.

"… You seem kind of strange today…" Yuuno said as he made his way over to her. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm just fine, Yuuno…-san."

"Are you sure?"

"Um… Yuuno…-san."

"Yes, Vivio?"

"… Yuuno…-san."

"Vivio?"

"Yuuno…-san."

"… Uh, you're not trying to mimic your mothers, are you?" He finally asked.

"No." She sighed. "I'm just trying to say your name without the –san."

"Oh… Why now, all of a sudden?"

"I was talking to the girls and they brought it up…" She explained. "Saying some one's name without honorifics means you're really close, right? And since you are my boyfriend, I just figured…"

"I see." He smiled. "Well, I certainly wouldn't mind you calling me by name alone, but you don't have to force yourself to."

"But I really want to…" She said.

"Well…" Yuuno thought for a moment. "Let me help you out. Try saying my name again."

"Yuuno…!" The rest was silenced as he gently pressed his fingers over her lips.

"Try again." He said as he removed his fingers.

"Yuuno…" Once again he blocked the rest with his fingers.

"Once more."

"Yuuno…" The process repeated several times until finally…

"Again."

"Yuuno." This time she said it without him applying his fingers.

"Yes, Vivio?"

"I did it!" She cheered. "Yuuno!"

"Vivio." He smiled.

"Yuuno." She said again, face inching closer.

"Vivio." He said again, moving closer in kind. Saying each others names were mere whispers by the time their lips met.

"Hehe." Vivio giggled when they parted. "Thank you, Yuuno-san."

"…"

"… I guess it's not going to be that easy." She grinned sheepishly.


	5. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

"So, can all archaeologists survive a nuclear explosion by hiding in a fridge?" Vivio asked, staring at the film on screen. She was in Yuuno's darkened living room, cuddled up with him on his couch as they watched a movie. It was a common pastime that had quickly become one of Vivio's favourites.

"That doesn't really have anything to do with being an archaeologist." Yuuno chuckled. "For the record, we don't go around fighting Nazis or Communists either."

"How boring." She chortled. "At least tell me you go around carrying a whip and fedora with your shirt open."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have the physique to make that work." Yuuno paused a moment. "Come to think of it, Mr Ford doesn't have it anymore either."

"I don't know about that." Vivio giggled. "I think he's still pretty dreamy." She blinked innocently under his stare. "Oh, you didn't hear? I have a thing for older men." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, I had no idea." He smiled as he rolled his eyes. "Anyways, you already know that real archaeology isn't like what you see in these movies."

"Yeah, I know." Vivio grinned. "He doesn't study bugs, dinosaurs, or animal bones at all!"

"… It still amazes me how people keep mixing up archaeology with palaeontology." Yuuno lamented. "Maybe they do it on purpose?"

"Some people just can't appreciate the finer points of digging in the dirt."

"Ha ha. And who is it that's so looking forward to digging in the dirt with me this weekend?"

"Me, of course." Vivio beamed. "It's been so long since I last got to accompany you on a dig. I can't wait!"

X-X-X

Vivio breathed amazement as she moved through the antechamber and into the large hall of the ruin. The previous dig sites she had visited only had a few pillars and other remnants of buildings jutting out of the sand, but this was the first she had been inside an ancient structure.

Fat stone columns reached from the floor to the high ceiling above. Some bore cracks and other fractures, but she had been assured that it was structurally sound. Many other stone objects littered the floor; they were carved into the shape of something similar to church pews. The dead language that covered the walls surrounding the area and the large alter at the head made the purpose of this place easy to distinguish: it was a temple built into the side of a mountain.

Vivio glanced over at Yuuno, who was busy discussing the writing on the wall with another archaeologist. She was a little disappointed he had not asked her to help with anything yet, but she had only come to observe anyways. Still, she wanted him to know that he could rely on her if there was any heavy lifting or something to be done.

Vivio blinked as she felt something tickle her cheek. She brushed at it, thinking she might have walked into a cobweb, but there was nothing there. The only thing nearby was a wall, so what was that sensation? She studied the wall closely when she felt the tickle again. Upon closer inspection, she discovered there was a crack from which air was escaping.

"Yuuno! Over here! I found something!" She called.

"Really? What is it?" He asked as he approached.

"There's a crack in this wall and I feel air coming out of it." She explained. "There must be something behind it!"

Yuuno ran his hand down the wall, nodding as he did so. "You're right; I think this is a hidden passageway… Some one get the crowbars!" He instructed. Moments later several men appeared with the metal objects.

"Stand back, Vivio." Yuuno said as he and the others wedged their crowbars into the cracks.

"What? But I can help…" Her words were drowned out by the sound of stone scraping against stone. The portion of the wall slid away with a surprising amount of ease, revealing a path that disappeared into darkness.

"Looks like it goes deeper into the mountain…" Yuuno mused. "Ok, I'm going to venture in and check it out. The rest of you continue investigating the main hall. Maybe you'll find more of these."

"Yes sir!" They said before scattering.

"Ok, so let's go then, Yuuno!" Vivio cheered before taking a step forward.

"Hold on, Vivio!" Yuuno grabbed her arm. "You stay here."

"Huh? Why?"

"It's too dangerous." He shook his head. "We don't know what could be down there."

"All the more reason why you shouldn't go by yourself!" She retorted.

"I'm a professional, Vivio. I've done this many times before so I know how to handle myself."

"I can handle myself too!" Vivio huffed. "Besides, I'm the one who found this, so I have the right to see where it leads!"

Yuuno held her glare a moment before sighing. "Ok, but stay close to me, got it?"

"Got it…" She muttered. Why he was treating her like that? Did he not have faith in her?

Yuuno activated a light spell and the pair made their way into the tunnel. It was a natural tunnel, with no signs that human hands had tampered with it, but there still didn't seem to be a danger of a cave in.

From the light that played over his face, Vivio could see Yuuno's eyes darting about, searching for any sort of danger. However, it really irked her when she saw him look over his shoulder at her, checking if she was still following him.

"Take my hand, Vivio," he said finally. "So we don't get separated."

Vivio looked at his offered palm and lightly brushed it away. Normally she would have loved to hold his hand, but this time the offer felt so… demeaning.

"No thank you." She declined. "I'll be just fine. Besides, what are you so worried about? Arrows shooting out of the wall? A giant boulder chasing us? You told me that stuff only happens in the movies!"

"No, stuff like that are real dangers." He said. "Some ancient cultures did set traps in order to protect their treasures from outsiders. That's why we have to be careful."

"I can take care of myself!" She huffed as she pushed past him.

"Wait, Vivio! Don't go ahead on your own!"

'What's with him?' She thought bitterly. 'He's acting like I'm just a kid! Before he had acknowledged me as a woman, so it's about time he started treating me like one!' She stopped momentarily when she saw a light at the end of the tunnel. "Hey! There's something up ahead!"

"Vivio! Don't!"

Vivio ignored him and ran ahead. She shielded her eyes as she entered the light, giving herself a moment to adjust. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an impressively large room. It was dome like in shape and was about as big as a football field. Sunlight poured in from a large hole cut into the mountain and covered the checker patterned floor. In the center of it all, glittering in the illumination was a small, steel grey idol in the shape of a barely clothed woman wielding a sword.

"Wow!" Her voice echoed through the room. "I can't believe some one could make something like this…" Lost in awe, her feet began moving further into the room.

"Vivio!" Yuuno panted as he poked his body out of the entrance. "Stop! You don't know what could…"

"Don't worry so much!" She frowned. "What could possibly…" She stopped short when a floor tie sank under her weight. "Huh?"

The floor behind the idol parted and the grinding of gears filled the room. Emerging from the ground was a humanoid figure of stone. When the whole of its body was visible, it stood about six meters tall.

"T-That's…" Vivio gasped as the giant's eyes lit up.

"It's a golem!" Yuuno shouted. "Run, Vivio!"

The behemoth crossed the distance with large strides, its speed far greater than its size would suggest. It raised a massive arm and prepared to strike down the intruders.

"Sacred Heart set up!" Vivio called, donning her barrier jacket. She jumped into the air as the giant's fist slammed into the ground.

"No, Vivio! Don't fight it! Let's just escape!" Yuuno pleaded. "It's probably just programmed to guard that idol!"

"I'm not going to run away!" Vivio yelled back at him. "I can handle…"

"VIVIO!" Yuuno cried as the giant swung its other arm and hit her with it. She flew with great speed into the far wall.

"Ow…"' Vivio groaned as she tried to pull herself out of the stone. She only got her upper body free when the golem made it to her and prepared another blow. Its body halted midway through the strike, having been wrapped up in numerous chains of light.

Taking a quick glance at Yuuno as he maintained the blind spell, the Belkan triangle appeared at her feet. Her fist began glowing purple as she launched herself off the wall at the machine.

"Kaiser Knuckle!" She called as her fist connected with the giant's chin. There was a little resistance at first, but after a moment the golem's head was liberated from its body and ended up being embedded in the ceiling. The sound of machinery shutting down was heard as the rest of the giant's body slumped under its own weight.

"Phew." Vivio breathed as she landed. "That takes care of…" Another rumbling filled the room, as Vivio looked up to see that the golem's head had knocked part of the ceiling loose, causing rocks to rain down in the center of the room.

"The idol!" Vivio gasped as she dashed towards it.

"Forget about it, Vivio!" Yuuno tried to stop her, but it was too late. He could only watch as her hand took hold of the idol, moments before the debris landed on her. "VIVIO!"

When the dust settled, all that was visible was a pile of rocks where the girl was last seen.

"Vivio!" Yuuno kept calling as he ran over. "Vivio! Answer me, Vivio!" He cried frantically as he clawed at the rubble. He had to dig her out! She just had to be ok! If she wasn't…

"That was close…" Vivio coughed as she pushed her way out of the rocks. "Good thing I have this Saint's Armour… Yuuno, look! I did it!" She triumphantly grinned and held up the idol. "See, I told you I could handle…"

"You idiot!" He yelled. "I can't believe you did something so incredibly stupid like that!"

"Hey!" Vivio growled. "I saved the…" Any anger in her voice died when she saw the tears pouring from his eyes.

"I don't care about the idol!" He sobbed. "What if something had happened to you? I… I don't care about the artefact so long as you're safe…"

"I… uh…" She had never seen him cry before, so she had no idea how she was supposed to react. She looked down and saw the blood and dirt covering his hands, suddenly understanding the gravity of it all. "I… I just wanted to prove that you don't need to worry about me like I'm some little kid…" She muttered.

"Is it wrong for me to worry about you?" He asked. "Not because I think you're a child who needs protecting, but because you're some one important to me?"

"… I… I'm sorry…"

"Running off recklessly like that… What would have happened if I wasn't there to bind that golem? What if the trap was something more traditional, like an acid spray or something? When investigating ruins, you have to consider things like these!" Yuuno sighed and wiped at his face. "But maybe this is my fault for not making sure you understood the severity of it…"

"No, it's my fault…" Vivio admitted, feeling so small. "I was so intent on making you see I was an adult that I ended up acting like a bratty little kid anyways. I'm so sorry…" In hindsight, she couldn't believe she had done that. 'Way to go, Vivio. He's never going to take you on another dig after this one…'

"… Let's just head back for now." Yuuno said. "… Listen, we all make mistakes, especially when we're new to this and think we're invincible. I was guilty of that myself when I was younger as well, and it almost cost me dearly. Don't let something like this happen next time, got it?"

Vivio brightened a bit when she heard him say 'next time.' He was going to give her another chance.

"Thank you, Yuuno. I promise it won't happen again."


	6. Clarity

When this all started, Yuuno was unsure of his feelings. When Vivio first confessed to him, he was quite surprised when he didn't reject her immediately. She was his student and a girl he had considered his friend when her age was still in the single digits, how could he possibly see her as a potential romantic partner?

But when the words left her mouth, he was shocked when the idea of being with her was oddly appealing. His conscience chastised him for thinking such things. She was thirteen years his junior, a minor who was still attending high school, and the daughter of his best friend. However, his mind still recognised her as an attractive young woman, wise beyond her years who had been an irreplaceable companion to him.

His scruples and heart in turmoil, he agreed to begin dating her on a trial basis. He hoped in doing so the confusion inside of him could be straightened out, leaving his true feelings behind.

Nothing much had changed at first. She would appear and help him with his work at the library, as she had often done over the years, but he couldn't ignore the charge in the atmosphere. He found himself being increasingly drawn to her, her bright smile as she read through a tome and the mirth she spoke with when they discussed an ancient culture together. He had never realised just how happy he felt knowing that she understood what he was saying, and could appreciate the significance of the knowledge they shared.

He was also granted the opportunity to learn of the girl outside of the library. He had never seen her take to the sparring mat before and he was entranced at the proficiency of her Strike Arts, her power and control evident in each blow. Beautiful was the only word he could use to describe it.

The time he spent with her was precious to him, so much so that the thought of losing her as he had other women stirred fear in the pit of his stomach. He had never minded losing those women; he had merely accepted it as an inevitability. Vivio was different, though. If she left, he knew it would hurt him and he'd regret it. It had caused him to be rash and hastily cancel several appointments, but she admonished him for that, saying she wouldn't be happy if he lost his job because of her. She knew how important his position was, and made no unreasonable demand that he gave it up for her. This only made him appreciate her more.

His heart began to flutter whenever he heard her call his name, his pulse would race when she took him by the hand, and a jolt would shoot through his body when she playfully pressed her mouth against his. It made him wonder what he had done to deserve a wonderful girl like her.

When he became unable to imagine himself being with anyone else, he knew the clouds within him had finally parted, leaving the answer almost painfully clear: yes, he was in love with her too.


	7. Mother

"Hey Vivio," Nanoha called to her daughter. "I'm about to start making dinner, why don't you come help me?"

"Sorry mama." Vivio called from the doorway as she slipped on her shoes. "I'm going to go help Yuuno at the library again. I'll get something to eat there, bye!"

"Wait…" Nanoha tried to say but the teen had already headed out the door. It was ok that the girl had a life outside the house, but Nanoha still missed her daughter's presence. She had always been an active youth, heading out to train or study, but ever since she started going out with Yuuno, Nanoha couldn't help but feel the growing distance.

"I know it's important for her to be independent," Nanoha sighed. "But I wish she'd still rely on me just a little…"

It wasn't just Vivio, either. Nanoha had become increasingly wary and judgemental of Yuuno's actions. She hated how she treated him as some sort of predator, always keeping a sharp eye so he didn't do anything to harm her daughter. It was no way to treat her best friend, the man who had been the 'maid of honour' at her wedding, but she couldn't stop herself.

She used to be able to drop by his office without notice, perhaps bringing a boxed lunch with her if she had time to make one. But she couldn't do that anymore, not without invoking a look of suspicion in his eyes. She doubted he felt safe around her anymore, going so far so to decline her offerings to accompany him on digs as his bodyguard like she had done many times before.

Not only was her daughter going off on her own, but Nanoha had also managed to alienate one of her closest friends as well.

She let out a big sigh as she flopped on her bed that night, head landing on her wife's thigh.

"What's wrong, Nanoha?" Fate asked as she lowered the book she was reading.

"It's Vivio and Yuuno-kun." She sighed again.

"Still having a hard time accepting it?"

"It's not that exactly… I guess I'm just a little depressed that Vivio hasn't been spending much time at home lately and I just can't seem to get along with Yuuno-kun as well as I used to."

"It's understandable." Fate said as she stroked her wife's hair. "I feel the same way, but I've already been through this once before with Erio and Caro. It makes you feel lonely, not needing to be relied upon anymore, but that just shows we've raised her to a point where she can stand on her own and is ready to move out into the world."

"I still think it came too soon."

"Well, now we know how our parents felt when we moved out when we were young."

"I guess…" Nanoha blew out a breath. "But the thing with Yuuno-kun is a different matter."

"I think things are just awkward because it's a period of adjustment for all of us." Fate explained. "For him, he can't just see us as his friends anymore; he has to see us as his girlfriend's parents. For us, we have to see him as our daughter's boyfriend."

"That's true."

"Well, it's been several months. How do you feel about their relationship now, Nanoha?"

"At first I wasn't so sure. I gave them a chance to try it out, but I really didn't think it would last this long. But… The more I see those two being so happy together, the more I think that it's not such a bad thing."

"I see." Fate smiled. "Looks like you've decided, then."

"Of course you were for it right from the beginning, weren't you Fate-chan?" Nanoha reached up and pinched Fate's hip. "You always were the permissive one."

"I can't deny that." She giggled.

"Still, it's going to be hard getting used to being all alone and lonely."

"What about me?"

"… I thought you were just an accessory that came with the house." Nanoha grinned up at her, prompting Fate to lightly tap the spine of her book on the brunette's forehead.

"Well I guess you won't be getting any from this 'accessory' tonight."

"Awww, Fate-chan, don't be so stingy!"

X-X-X

When Nanoha got up the next morning to make breakfast, she was surprised to see Vivio already getting ready to head out the door.

"Oh, good morning Nanoha-mama." She greeted.

"Good morning. You're heading in early."

"I'm on class duty today, so I already grabbed something to eat. I'll see you later."

Nanoha expected to once again only be able to stand by and watch her daughter leave when Vivio suddenly turned around and walked up to her.

"I love you, Nanoha-mama." She said as she gave her mother a hug. "It feels like I haven't told you that lately."

Nanoha froze a moment before she smiled. "I love you too, Vivio." She said, returning the hug. "Now hurry up so you won't be late."

"Ok! See you later, mama!" Vivio called as she headed off.

"Have a good day, sweetie." Nanoha waved. When her daughter was out of sight, Nanoha sighed contently. Even if her Vivio didn't need her as much as she once did, it was moments like that that were still the most precious.

As she headed to the kitchen, she heard the sound of the phone ringing. 'Who would call this early?' She wondered as she answered it. "Hello, Takamachi residence."

Nanoha was surprised to see Yuuno's face pop up on the screen.

"Ah, Nanoha. Good morning." He said, a tad nervous.

"Good morning, Yuuno-kun." She replied. "If you want to talk to Vivio, she's already gone off to school."

"Actually…" He smiled shakily. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Really?" She blinked.

"Yeah… Vivio's birthday is coming up soon, right?" He paused and waited for her nod. "So I was wondering, if you're free one day could you come with me and help pick out a present for her?"

Nanoha smiled at his question, inwardly thankful that he was relying on her for something like that. Maybe the distance wasn't so large after all. "Of course, Yuuno-kun. I would love to."


	8. Reality

Vivio patiently watched the time display in her classroom as it came closer to dismissal time. The rest of her class was still writing their tests, but Vivio had finished writing hers long ago. The moment the bell rang, school would be out and she could head to the Infinity Library and see Yuuno. She played with the glass rabbit under her uniform, the present he had given her the previous week right before he revealed that he was in love with her as well.

She couldn't help but grin at the memory, overjoyed that the man she had longed for all those years finally returned her feelings. She was truly euphoric and it felt like nothing could lower her mood.

"Vivio Takamachi." Her name was announced over the PA system. "Please report to the principal's office after class."

Vivio blinked and wondered what they wanted to see her about.

After the students were dismissed, Vivio made her way to the principal's office as instructed. The secretary quickly waved her through and Vivio excused herself as she opened the door with the principal's name on it. She was shocked to see not only the principal and vice-principal in the room, but Nanoha as well.

"Nanoha-mama? What are you doing here?"

"Please, have a seat Vivio." The principal instructed.

"What is this about?" Vivio asked warily as she sat next to her mother. "Did something happen?"

"Vivio," The vice-principal sighed. "I'm sure you're aware of the rumours going around about you."

"About me being a gold digger?" Vivo growled slightly. "Don't tell me you believe that."

"We honestly didn't want to." The principal admitted. "That our brightest student could be involved in such activities was not a pleasant possibility to consider. But since these rumours were just rumours, we gave you the benefit of the doubt for a while, but recently some proof has come to our attention."

"What exactly are you accusing my daughter of doing?" Nanoha asked sternly.

"Do you know what 'compensated dating' is, Mrs Takamachi?" The vice-principal asked.

"Yes, where I come from it's called 'enjo kosai'." Nanoha answered. "It's when teenage girls offer themselves as escorts to older men in return for favours."

"That's right." The principal reached into her pocket and withdrew a picture she then slid across her desk. "This was sent to us anonymously. The contents and their implications are clear." The picture in question showed a girl who was unmistakably Vivio, clinging to the arm of a man whose face was out of the frame.

"So what?" Vivio shot up. "The man I'm with there is my boyfriend! What's wrong with that? I'm not whoring myself out!"

"I'm afraid we cannot take your word for it." The principal sighed. "This photo has already spread around campus and some are demanding we take action. I have no choice but to suspend you from school for the time being. If this issue is raised again after this, I'm afraid I would have to expel you."

"But…!"

"I understand, Ms Principal." Nanoha said flatly as she rose. "Let's go home, Vivio."

"What? Nanoha-mama! Say something to them! Tell them they're not being fair!"

"It's not something we have control over, Vivio." Nanoha sighed. "Let's go."

Vivio knew arguing was pointless so she silently followed her mother out of the room.

X-X-X

Yuuno hummed softly as he made his way back to his office. The meeting he was attending had dragged on a little too long, and he was looking forward to seeing Vivio. Knowing her, she would be waiting in his office when he entered.

Some one was indeed waiting, but it was not who he expected.

"Good day, professor." A uniform clad man greeted. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thanks." Yuuno warily returned the greeting. "You don't come here too often, Mr Ainsworth. It's usually Chrono who acts as the liaison with the Bureau."

"Yes, but our superiors deemed me more suitable for this task than Admiral Harlaown." He explained, gingerly crossing his legs as he sat on the guest sofa.

"What task would that be?" Yuuno asked, taking his seat at his desk.

"I don't believe you've grasped what kind of position you're in, professor. You may not know it, but you're actually on thin ice right now."

"And why is that?"

"People have been asking… questions." Ainsworth stated. "They've raised doubts about your character and your abilities to do your job."

"What?" Yuuno glared. "I've held this position for twenty years. My work ethic should speak for itself."

"Yes, and the Bureau does appreciate all your hard work, and it is precisely because of that that it's overlooked your relationship with a minor."

"… So that's what you're playing at." Yuuno whispered.

"It would be such a shame to lose a fine mind like yours, so the higher ups were willing to let it slide so long as it did not interfere with your work. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. People don't want to do business with a 'pedophile' and are subsequently seeking other individuals to work with. On top of that, there was that incident when you cancelled a large number of appointments just so you could go play around with her."

"T-That's…"

"You have two choices before you right now, professor." Ainsworth said. "Either cease your relationship with that girl, or you may have to face severe consequences such as severing some jail time."

"I haven't done anything with Vivio that could result in me being arrested." Yuuno insisted.

"That may be, but the fact remains that you may soon find yourself out of employment. You are a representative of this library, and the Bureau, so I'm sure you understand that you must uphold the proper image." Ainsworth rose and headed to the door. "I'm sure you'll make the correct choice." He smiled slightly as he closed the door.

Yuuno sat in silence a moment before he slammed his fists onto his desk. "So you're telling me to choose between my job and my heart? DAMNIT!"

X-X-X

It was silent in the car as Nanoha drove Vivio home. The girl just stared out the window and watched the passing street lights as her mother concentrated on the road before her.

When they arrived home, Vivio immediately headed up the stairs to her room.

"Vivio, wait. We need to talk." Vivio paused and stared back at Nanoha.

"Why didn't you help me back there, mama?" She demanded to know. "They were accusing me of selling myself off but you said nothing!"

"I know you would never do something like that, Vivio." Nanoha assured her. "But there wasn't much we could have done in that situation."

"That's a lie!" Vivio shouted. "You know that was Yuuno in that picture! If you had told them…"

"Since his face was not shown, people will believe whatever they want." Nanoha explained calmly. "'Suspending you was something the principal had to do to keep the situation peaceful."

"So I'm supposed to accept being suspended on false charges? What the hell?"

"Vivio, watch your mouth." Nanoha sighed. "I'm afraid it's worse than that."

"What could be worse than this?" She growled.

"… Vivio, you're going to have to stop seeing Yuuno-kun."

"WHAT? WHY!" Vivio erupted.

"You heard the principal." Nanoha remained calm. "If some one reports seeing you together with him again, you'll have to be expelled."

"So what? Why do I have to break up with Yuuno for something like that?"

"Vivio, being expelled puts a mark on your record that can rob you of so many opportunities in the future."

"Why…" Vivio trembled as tears began to fall down her face. "Why can't Yuuno and I be together?" She demanded. "Why is it so wrong? I love him and he loves me, but why is there a problem with this?"

"I know how you feel…"

"How could you possibly know how I feel?" Vivio yelled. "Everyone was so happy when you and Fate-mama got together! No one had a problem with it at all! No one said you two couldn't be together, no one said it was wrong for you two to be together… Why is it so different for me? Why can't I be happy together with the person I love?"

"I think you were just too young for this kind of relationship."

"Too young?" Vivio laughed fiercely. "I was told you and Fate-mama started sleeping together when you were only fifteen! How dare you preach to me about being too young?"

"Vivio, I know you're upset but think this through carefully and you'll see that this is what's best for you. I said it back when this started, remember? If this relationship was causing more harm than good, I would put my foot down."

"What the hell, mama? You're supposed to be on my side! Why do you want to destroy my happiness?"

"Vivio, listen, I…"

"Shut up, you traitor!" Vivo snapped. "I HATE YOU!" She screamed before running up the rest of the stairs and slamming the door to her room shut.

Nanoha stumbled back and leaned against the wall. "… I should have expected that…" She sighed. She really didn't want to have to say that, but Nanoha knew she had to become the villain in order to protect her daughter's future. She just hoped Yuuno would understand.

After a few moments of nursing her temples, Nanoha heard a knock on the door.

"Coming!" She called as she opened it. "Oh… Good evening, Yuuno-kun."

"Good evening, Nanoha." He managed a small smile. "Is Vivio home?"

"She's in her room." Nanoha answered, letting him inside. "But before you go see her, I need to tell you something."

X-X-X

"Go away!" Vivio shouted in response to the knock on her door. "I don't want to talk to you!"

"Vivio, it's me."

"Yuuno!" She jumped off her bed and opened the door to let him in. When he was inside she quickly latched onto him. "You won't believe this, but…"

"Nanoha's already told me everything." He said as he led her to the bed where they both sat down.

"It's not fair!" She moaned. "Why do we have to break up for something like that?"

"I know, it's not fair." Yuuno sighed. "But there isn't much we can do about it."

"Don't tell me you agree with her!" Vivio reeled away from him.

"What she said was right, though. Being expelled puts a lot of limitations on the courses your future could take."

"I don't care about school!" She insisted. "I'm a lot smarter than most of the teachers, anyways! I could just come work full time for you at the library! I have been a registered employee there since I was nine, so…"

"I'm afraid that's no longer an option." Yuuno sighed.

"… What do you mean?"

"My character has come into question due to my relationship with a minor." He said. "If I continue this relationship, I'll be removed from my position as head librarian."

"… Why? Why is everyone so against us being together?" Vivio wailed. "I know! Yuuno, let's run off together somewhere! We'll get eloped and go to some uninhabited world where no one will get in our way!"

"Vivio, calm down." He placed his hands on her shoulders and made sure she looked him in the eyes. "You're getting so worked up that you're getting crazy ideas."

"But I don't want to break up with you!" She cried. "Why can't things turn out well for us?"

"I hate this as much as you do, Vivio." Yuuno sighed. "But this is just the way it is in the world of adults. I love you and don't want to be separated from you either, but I also want you to finish school properly and be able to have many opportunities open to you."

"But…"

"And you told me before that you don't want me to get fired because of you, right?"

"Yeah…" Vivio sniffled.

"I know it will be hard, but for both our sakes we can't see each other anymore."

"… How can you say that so easily…?" She whispered. "Don't you…"

"One year." He said.

"Huh?" Vivio blinked at him.

"We won't see each other for one year." He clarified. "In a year you will be eighteen and no longer a minor. You'll also graduate from high school so you won't have to worry about being expelled. After this year, nothing will prevent us from being together."

Vivio wiped at her tears as she thought it over. That was definitely the best solution to the current problem.

"Ok, Yuuno." She said. "I can wait a year."

"I'm glad." Yuuno smiled, leaning over and kissing her softly. "Until next year, then."

Vivio blushed as she smiled back. "Until next year."

X-X-X

When Yuuno left the room, he found Nanoha waiting for him.

"How is she?" She asked.

"She'll be fine." He assured her. "We're going to take a break for a year, and see what happens after that."

"I see." Nanoha nodded in understanding before glancing at the door. "I bet she doesn't want to see my face right now…"

"Not at all." Yuuno smiled, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Go in, she wants to talk to you."

Nanoha nodded before opening the door. "Vivi…" She didn't have the chance to finish before her daughter hugged her fiercely.

"I'm sorry mama. I'm so, so sorry!" She sobbed "I said all those horrible things..."

"It's ok, Vivio." Nanoha gently rubbed her back. "I understand."

Yuuno silently made his way out of the house and took one last look at the structure that held so many people and memories that were important to him. He knew that he would have to avoid the neighbourhood for quite some time, but it was a small price to pay. Before he turned to go, he softly muttered to the wind.

"Until next year."

* * *

And this is most likely the end of this series. I don't really have any more ideas, and looking at the lack of reviews and the low number of hits, it's clear not many are interested in this anyways. This pairing was something I wanted to try, and I suppose it was a moderate success. There was a bit of drama about it over at Animesuki, and it brought to light my inability to develop a relationship. I don't know if I've improved in that department or not, but I tried my best.

I hope the few of you that followed this enjoyed it.


	9. One Step Behind

This chapter is for RadiantBeam, who wanted to see what would happen if after the year passed Yuuno had found some one else.

* * *

Vivio paused as she placed her hand on the door to Yuuno's office, pondering if she should energetically burst in or be more reserved about it. The promised year had passed; she was eighteen and had finally graduated from high school.

The year had been a hard one to say the least. Vivio tried to hold her head high the entire time, to not let her longing for the older man get in the way of her daily life. She certainly didn't want to let her marks slip, which held the potential to make her repeat the grade, thus adding another year to her sentence. Her grades stayed steady and, while she still couldn't top Corona, she had graduated as one of the top in her class.

Two different emotions had fought inside her for dominance during the year. In one corner was the fear that something would change while they were apart. What if their extended separation allowed him to realise he didn't love her after all? What if he had found some one else?

In the other corner was her hope and faith that the words he said to her would never waver. She wanted to believe that when the time came they would be reunited and their love would prove to be as strong as ever.

The influence from both sides had put her into moratorium. She wanted to go see him as soon as possible, yet she hesitated from the fear of what she would learn. Other than her mothers' occasional reports that he was doing well, Vivio had no idea what had transpired in Yuuno's life while she wasn't around. As a result, she had spent much of her time pacing aimlessly around the house, promising herself the next day she would definitely go see him.

And now, three weeks later, Nanoha had finally gotten fed up and kicked her daughter out of the house, saying she wouldn't let her back in until she saw Yuuno. Her mother's brand of tough love not giving her much of a choice, Vivio was now in front of Yuuno's office.

"It'll be just fine." She told herself. "I'm sure he missed me as much as I missed him. Ok, then." She took a deep breath before opening the door. "Yuu…"

She froze in place long enough to see Yuuno moving his lips away from those of a raven haired woman who stood next to him.

"… Vivio…" He gasped slightly when he saw her. The unknown woman blinked in confusion.

"… I'm sorry for interrupting…" Vivio muttered before whirling around and walking away. She heard his footsteps follow after her moments later.

"Vivio, wait!" He called to her. The teenager stopped, but she didn't turn around.

"So…" She tried to keep her voice even. "Who was that?"

"Well, she's a colleague of mine, you see." He started. "We met on a dig several months ago and we hit it off pretty well."

"I see. You gave up on me rather quickly."

"No, that's not it." Yuuno shook his head. "She expressed her interest in me at first, but I declined, saying I already had some one. She was ok with that and we still spent time together as friends and I did come to like her a lot, but I thought I still had you. When I heard you graduated, I thought you'd come see me right away, so I waited for you. However, when you didn't show up for weeks, I thought that was a sign that you weren't interested in me anymore. It hurt, but I convinced myself it was for the best. So when she offered to take me out again, I said yes and… well…"

"I see." Vivio tried to keep her voice calm, but internally she wanted to cry out. If only she had acted sooner, this wouldn't have happened. If only she hadn't been so indecisive, she wouldn't have lost the man of her dreams. She only had herself to blame. "Do you love her? Does she make you happy?"

"Yes." He answered. "I really enjoy being with her."

"That's good then." Vivio spun around with forced cheerfulness. "The truth is, you're right. I did a lot of thinking, and I realised that we really wouldn't have worked out after all. I was just forcing you to play along with my childish feelings, nothing more."

"Vivio, that…"

"I just couldn't decide on the proper way to tell you, which is why it took me so long to come see you. I just want to thank you for indulging my little crush, Yuuno-san, it was fun while it lasted." Vivio extended her hand. "I still care about you a lot, though, so let's continue being good friends in the future!"

"Of course." Yuuno shook her hand.

"You be sure to treat your new girlfriend right." Vivio stretched her smile as wide as it could go "I wish for your happiness together."

"Thank you, Vivio."

"Now I have to get home." Vivio slowly backed away. "I promised Nanoha-mama I wouldn't be gone too long. I'll see you later, Yuuno-san!" She turned around and broke into a run when he was out of sight.

X-X-X

"I'm back…" Vivio called weakly as she walked through the door.

"Welcome back." Nanoha's voice approached. "How did it g…" The brunette stopped when she saw her daughter's downcast look. "What happened?"

"It's… It's…" The tears she had been holding back finally started to overflow. "Yuuno-san has a new girlfriend already!"

"What?" Nanoha reeled back in shock. Her best friend had made no mention of such a thing. How could he cast away her daughter and break her heart like this! "… Looks like I need to go talk with him."

"Wait mama, don't!" Vivio grabbed her mother's arm before she could leave. "It's not his fault! It's mine! Because I hesitated going to see him, he thought it meant I didn't want to be with him anymore, and he had met this woman awhile ago, so…"

"Why didn't you explain it to him?" Nanoha inquired. "Tell him that you still love him and want to be with him!"

"No, I… I think it's better this way…" Vivio hung her head. "He'll be much happier with her… No one will look sourly at him and call him a pedophile if he's with her. It's… it's for the best."

"Vivio…"

"I was naïve to think I could be with him…" Vivio sniffled as tears continued to fall. "There was no way it would have worked out. It was too unrealistic. What kind of idiot would think we'd make a good couple? No one would ever support such a relationship…"

"That's not true, Vivio." Nanoha drew her into a hug. "We disliked the idea at first, but we came to accept it eventually."

"None of that matters anymore. I wanted to believe we could be happy together, but it all ended in failure. Even after all this time, I'm still just a child, aren't I?"

Nanoha said nothing and simply rubbed the girl's back.

"I'm sure everyone would agree this is for the best." Vivio kept crying. "It's for the best, but… It still hurts so much!" Her sniffles turned into full blown sobs as she cried into her mother's hair.

"There, there." Nanoha petted her. "Mama's right here for you…"

"I guess it's true what they say…" Vivio muttered when she calmed down a bit. "First love never ends well."

"… As an exception to that rule, I can't really say anything." Nanoha chuckled sadly. "But they also say that time heals all wounds, so I'm sure it won't always hurt. In the meantime, I know we have an unopened tub of ice cream in the fridge." She offered a smile.

Vivio sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. "Is it chocolate?"

"It sure is."

"… If Fate-mama gets mad, I'll say it was all your idea." Vivio managed a small smile.

"Deal."

X-X-X

After gorging herself with frozen dairy product, Vivio flopped onto her bed. She stared up at her ceiling as she remembered the major events that had happened in the room. A tear fell down her cheek, but she decided to file those away as happy memories. It may have been fleeting, but she was glad to have experienced it. Now she had to look toward the future.

"Vivio, there's a call for you!" Nanoha yelled from downstairs. Vivio brought up a display and patched in the line, causing a purple haired girl to appear in the air.

"Cia! Long time no see!" Vivio brightened a bit at seeing Lutecia's face.

"Hello Vivio." The older girl greeted before pausing a moment. "Is something wrong? You don't look too well."

"It's… complicated." Vivio admitted. "It would take too long to explain."

"Oh…" Lutecia glanced away. "Well, I'm on Mid Childa right now so I thought we could meet up, but if you're not up for it…"

"No, I'm up for it!" Vivio smiled. "I think being with you would be the best thing!"

* * *

Since this is for RB, obviously I had to hint at ViCia at the end there :D Well, this is meant to be a "What If" but it can be the canon resolution if you want it to be, I guess. If anyone is interested, I do intend to write an ending where Vivio and Yuuno stay together.


End file.
